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Bill introduced Tuesday would create oversight committee for USOC

The push in Congress comes after sports doctor Larry Nasser was sent to prison for abusing athletes, some of which were Olympic gymnasts.

Credit: AP

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., center is flanked by U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., left, and Judge Rosemarie Aquilina during a news conference to announce a plan to introduce legislation aimed at reforming the U.S. Olympic Committee Monday, June 17, 2019, in Denver. Nearly a dozen Olympic athletes were on hand to lend their support to the measure, which DeGette plans to introduce this week. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

DENVER — The judge who sentenced former sports doctor Larry Nassar to prison and a group of Olympians are backing an effort to create a committee to look into the operations of the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC).

They joined Colorado's U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette in Denver Monday to announce the planned introduction of the bipartisan bill Tuesday in the House. It mirrors one introduced in January by Colorado Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in the Senate, a standard practice in Congress.

It would set up a panel of 16 people, half of them Olympians or Paralympians, with subpoena power.

Credit: AP

As U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., and U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., back, look on, Sarah Will of Arvada, Colo., a 12-time gold medalist in skiing in the Paralympics, speaks during a news conference to announce a plan to introduce legislation aimed at reforming the U.S. Olympic Committee Monday, June 17, 2019, in Denver. Nearly a dozen Olympic athletes were on hand to lend their support to the measure, which DeGette plans to introduce this week. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

It comes six months after a congressional report in the wake of the Nassar case recommended a review of the law that governs the USOC and how the USOC can use its authority to more actively protect athletes.

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